changing cities

• Urbanisation

  an increase in the percentage of people living in towns and cities causing them to grow
• Urbanisation in developed, emerging, and developing countries

  • Occurred at different rates and in different ways since 1950
  • Africa and Asia are presently seeing the greatest increase
• Urbanisation in emerging and developing countries


  Caused by rural to urban migration and natural increase
• Urbanisation in developed countries

  Caused by industrialisation and mechanisation of farming
• Effects of urbanisation


  • Air, noise, and water pollution are increasing
  • Investment increases, leading to more economic opportunities (jobs)
  • Spontaneous, unplanned settlements often develop in developing countries
  • Gap between the rich and poor often widens in developing and emerging economies
• Population distribution in the UK

  • Lower in the north and higher in the south
  • Important urban areas have the highest population density, with London having the highest in the UK
  • Other major cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool also have high population densities
• Reasons for population density variation in the UK

  • Lower population density in the north due to higher relief (mountains)
  • Lower population density where the climate makes living more difficult, such as northern Scotland
  • Higher urban populations tend to be located around ports
• Birmingham's context


  • Site: Began as a small village on a dry point site plateau in the Midlands
  • Situation: Located centrally, it has excellent links to the rest of England
  • Connectivity: Accessible motorways, New Street railway station and Birmingham International Airport mean that Birmingham is well connected
  • Cultural: It is a multicultural city with nearly a quarter of residents born outside of the UK
  • Environmental: Birmingham has many parks and was ranked 15th in the UK as a sustainable city
• Birmingham's structure


  • Central Business District (CBD) is the main financial centre of the city
  • Inner city surrounds the CBD and comprises of rows and rows of terraced housing
  • Suburbs consist of mostly semi-detached housing built between the 1930s and 1960s
  • Rural-urban fringe is made up of a mixture of newer modern housing, out-of-town shopping centres and industrial units
• Processes that have changed Birmingham

  1. Urbanisation

  - 18th/19th century - industries set up guns , jewellery - new estates built quickly

  2. Suburbanisation

  - 1920/1930 - large estates, had to expand housing -lacked shops, clinics happened quickly

  3. Counter-urbanisation

  - 1970s onwards - redevelopment inner city areas- decline in population inner city - growth of surrounding towns

  4. Re-urbanisation-
• Causes of national migration in Birmingham

  • People moving out to coastal areas to retire
  • People moving in as the CBD has employment opportunities
• Causes of international migration in Birmingham

  • People moving in who have fled conflict in countries such as Syria
  • People moving in to fill key jobs encouraged by the government
• Impacts of migration in Birmingham

  • A youthful population of migrants settling for employment opportunities
  • A multicultural society
  • Ethnic communities establishing shops and places of worship
  • A demand for housing
  • Pressure on services such as school and the NHS
• Birmingham's population


  • Youthful population with a low number of people of pensionable age
  • Nearly a quarter of the population are children
  • Main reasons for population growth are natural increase, in migration and increased life expectancy
• Deindustrialisation in Birmingham during the 1970s

  Car factories closed as there was an increased demand for foreign cars, causing mass unemployment
• Globalisation and technological advancements

  Reduced the need for labour in Birmingham
• Old factories in Birmingham have been redeveloped or demolished to make way for housing
• Changes to Birmingham's economic structure

  • Deindustrialisation
  • Population growth
• Lack of investment in some areas of Birmingham has led to deprivation
• Deprivation in Birmingham


  • 40% of the population are amongst the most deprived in England
  • Deprivation is high in inner city areas but also exists in the suburbs
  • Sutton Four Oaks is in the top 5% of least deprived of Super Output Areas (SOAs) in the UK
• Population growth in Birmingham has put a strain on health services, schools and housing
• Migrants in Birmingham don't often have the skills or qualifications for the jobs that are available
• Changes in retailing in Birmingham

  • Birmingham's CBD has declined, as well as its retail sector
  • New out-of-town shopping centres (such as The Fort) were also developed
  • Internet shopping has reduced the number of consumers in the CBD
• Sustainable strategies in Birmingham

  • Encouraging people to use public transport, car share, walk or cycle
  • Improving recycling system to reduce waste going to landfill
  • Education partnerships to recruit and retain teachers
  • Improvements to housing insulation and windows
  • Providing new affordable housing
• Mexico City's context


  • Site: Began as a settlement on an island in Lake Texcoco in Aztec times
  • Situation: Located on a plateau surrounded by mountains and volcanoes
  • Connectivity: Major highways link it between North and South America
  • Culture: It is the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world
• Mexico City's structure


  • CBD: Financial centre with office blocks, government buildings and the Mexican Stock Exchange
  • Inner city: Older unplanned settlements and abandoned multi-storey colonial mansions converted into cheap flats
  • Suburbs: Mostly middle-class housing with heavy security
  • Rural-urban fringe: Dominated by newer unplanned settlements
• Factors contributing to Mexico City's population growth

  • Natural increase: High birth rate and falling death rate in the 1950s
  • Migration: Rural-urban migration (national) and international migration
• Impacts of migration in Mexico City


  • Young migrants arrive bringing new skills and looking for employment
  • Businesses benefit from low-income labour
  • Housing shortage leading to unplanned settlements on the edge of the city
  • Higher levels of air pollution owing to more cars on the road leading to respiratory problems
• Inequalities in Mexico City

  • One in three workers are paid less than the minimum wage of US$4 per day
  • The bottom 20% earn 13 times less than the top 20%
  • The poorest 10% average only two years of schooling compared to 12 years for the wealthiest 10%
  • Those living in unplanned settlements have no running water, electricity and lack sanitation (services), compared with wealthy residents who have large houses with gardens and swimming pools
• Top-down development projects in Mexico City

  • Affordable housing
  • Sustainable transport schemes
• Bottom-up development projects in Mexico City

  • Cultiva community-based project educating children about gardening
  • Local people working together to raise money to build schools and health centres
• Economic development projects in Mexico City

  • Affordable housing ($8,000)
  • Trash-for-food trading system
• Environmental development projects in Mexico City

  • Metrobus system reducing journey times and CO₂ emissions, and moving more people per day